A Beautiful Mind
by Azure Dragon of the North
Summary: Sam Merlotte finds a girl dressed in a Fangtasia t-shirt and shorts; lying on the road between Shreveport and Bon Temps. She has no memory but seems to know Eric. Did he do this to her? Sam takes her in; hoping to help her remember who she is.
1. Chapter 1

A BEAUTIFUL MIND

CHAPTER 1: JANE DOE

Cold, that's what woke her, bitter cold, to be exact. Lifting her head caused her to feel nauseous. She was lying on a dirt road; surrounded on all sides by wooded forest. Her body ached from the cold; and something else. Slowly she blinked, her eyes felt gritty. Lifting a hand, she rubbed them. She sat up and gasped; her legs were hurting. Looking down at them she stared at her bare feet. The pain was coming from her right ankle. She could tell it was swollen; touching the flesh around it, she felt heat. She'd sprained it. Looking back to her surroundings she tried to figure out where she was. A sound made her look to the right; a vehicle was hurtling towards her. She pushed herself to her feet and threw herself sideways. Pain burned through her right leg; she lay on the ground, gasping. Brakes squealed, lights lit the darkness. A man jumped out the cab and ran to her.

"Jesus!" He knelt down next to her, "Are you okay?"

"My ankle," She said simply, "It's sprained."

He looked at it, "What are you doing in bare feet?" He looked her over; "It's too cold for shorts and t-shirt." He paused at the shirt, frowning for a moment. He met her gaze, "Come on, I'll drive you back to Fangtasia. You're friends are probably looking for you."

"Fangtasia?" She asked, no understanding, "Is that a town around here?"

He gave her a puzzled expression, "It's a vampire bar, in Shreveport."

Confusion crashed around her, "Vampire bar?"

"Yeah," He sat back on his heels, studying her closely. "That's where the shirt is from."

She looked down at her shirt; reading the words, he was right.

"What's your name?" He asked, "I'm Sam."

She blinked a few times; nothing came to mind. "I don't know."

He cocked his head to the side a moment, "You don't know?"

"How can I not know my name?"

"Let's look at your driver's license," He suggested.

She searched the pockets of the black shorts she wore. They were empty. "I don't have one."

Sam looked around; he seemed to be searching the darkness for a moment. "You probably left it at the bar." He stood up and offered a hand, "Can you walk with your ankle like that?"

She took his hand and he helped her stand; carefully she tested the ankle; putting her weight on it. Pain burned but it was manageable. "I can handle it."

"My truck is over there," He nodded to the vechile that had almost hit her. He kept her hand as she hobbled across the dirt. "Why are you wearing summer clothes in winter?"

"I don't know," She said honestly. She just couldn't remember.

Sam opened the door to his Jeep and she climbed in, albeit not gracefully. Once she was in, he shut the door and came to the other side. He started the Jeep and turned it around in a three-point-turn. They headed back along the road he'd driven moments ago.

The girl stared out the window at the trees and rolling land. Nothing came to mind as familiar or even recognizable.

"You aren't from around here," He muttered softly, "Do know if you have a passport?"

She looked at him. "What makes you say that?"

"The way you talk, you don't have an accent. You're not American."

She smiled then, "Travel a lot do you?"

He shrugged, "I did when I was younger; I know most of the accents of this country. You're not from here."

"So where am I from?" She asked, more in general then to him directly. She looked back out the window. "Why am I here?"

Sam looked over at her, "You honestly don't remember."

She shook her head, "It's like a black hole in my head."

"A black hole?" He looked back to the road.

"The astrophysics term for the destruction of a star; when the force of gravity crushes the star…" She paused, frowning. "How do I know that?"

Sam shrugged, "Perhaps you're an astrophysicist?" He looked over at her again, "Though you don't look old enough to have a Ph.D."

She rubbed her forehead; there was nothing but black in her mind. She knew nothing.

"Can you remember anything else about black holes?"

"No." She sighed, the knoweldge was gone. "I just started talking and it all came out. But I can't figure out how I knew."

Sam watched the road; searching his own mind for anything that could help her. "Well, you don't seem to be complaining about the cold."

She had been cold when she woke up; but now….she hadn't really thought about it. She looked over at Sam in his thick heavy coat, blue jeans and solid footwear. He was dressed for cold weather.

"I guess it's not that cold." She muttered.

"Not that cold, huh?" He smiled slightly, it was a nice smile. "You must be from a cold place then."

She pulled in a breath; try as she might she couldn't think of anything helpful. Her mind was simply black. No memories, no connections. Nothing came to her. "Any suggestions?"

"Nope, sorry."

"That's okay." She stared out at the black road. That's all she knew right now; just blackness.

Sam parked in the lot of Fangtasia; there weren't that many cars around. The girl looked into the night sky; dawn was close. "Dawn is coming." She muttered.

Sam glanced at her, "Shit, you're a vampire."

She looked at him, "Could a vampire sprain their ankle?"

He looked at her foot, "Ah, no."

"Damn, there goes another possible clue."

He helped her into the club; Pam looked over, frowning. She appeared in front of them; the girl jumped in surprise.

"What are you doing here?" Pam asked coldly, "We're closed."

"She needs help," Sam told her.

"And you brought her here, because?" Pam glanced at the woman, eyeing the shirt. "A souvenir, that's why you're here?"

"She lost her wallet, perhaps it's here. Did someone turn in a wallet?" Same asked.

Pam rolled her eyes; heading to the bar. "Mike, give me the lost and found for tonight."

The box sat in front of Sam, Pam and the girl. Sam looked at her, "Anything jumping out at you?"

The girl stared at the collection of keys, the loose change, and the packets of condoms. Gently she picked up a keychain; but put it back.

"Nothing is ringing a bell. I look at this, I know what the contents are but none of them are mine." She rubbed her eyes again, "Nothing is familiar."

"Not even the club?" Sam asked.

She looked around; she'd never seen it before. "I've never been here."

"The t-shirt is from here," Sam reminded her.

Pam spoke up, "It could have been a gift. That doesn't actually mean she was here."

The girl stared at the posters; the red walls, everything here was so…campy. But it didn't remind her of anything she knew. "You said this was a vampire bar, are they actually believed in enough to be profitable?"

Pam arched a brow, "You don't believe in vampires?" Her tone was disbelieving.

The girl shrugged, "I don't know. Are you saying they are real?" She stared at Pam for a second; looking her over. "Are you a vampire?"

Sam wasn't sure what to do; Pam shot him a look. He shrugged.

Pam smiled and her fangs snapped down, "What do you think?"

The girl leaned forward, staring at them. "Wow, those look real."

"They are real," Pam reached out and grabbed her throat, "I am a vampire."

The girl flinched at the cold hand on her throat; she grabbed the hand. It was like cold steel around her throat. A man's voice broke the silence; he barked a word at her and her hand released.

Sam glared at Pam for a moment; before looking at the girl. "You okay?"

She rubbed her throat, "Yes."

The man spoke again; stepping into the room. He wasn't using English, still, the girl understood his words.

Pam looked over her shoulder, "She doesn't believe in vampires."

"Eric," Sam nodded, "We're just trying to find her wallet."

The girl stared at the tall, broad-shouldered man who walked up to them. His blonde hair was long, just above his shoulders. He was gorgeous. And some how familiar. She stared at him; he glanced at her. His eyes were a lovely blue color. The more she stared, the more familiar he seemed. He looked away from her, glancing at Sam.

"I see you've checked the lost and found;" He glanced at her again, "You don't believe in vampires?"

She shrugged, "I am not sure."

"We are closed; dawn is close. I suggest you leave." Eric turned and headed back from where he came. Pam turned and followed.

The girl looked to Sam, "What now?"

He sighed, "Let's go, we can think this over on the drive back."

"Wait," Pam appeared in front of the girl, making her jump. "Come back tomorrow, perhaps your friends will come looking for you."

"Okay," The girl nodded, "Thanks."

Sam stepped around the vampire and led the girl outside. They were on road before Sam could think of anything to say.

He looked at her again. "So you don't know about vampires being real? You can't remember their big announcement four years ago?"

She shook her head, "I can't remember anything."

He rubbed his face, "Okay, it seems you have amnesia."

"That means I can't remember things?"

He shook his head, "You can remember certain things. Like how to talk, walk around, that's a kind of memory. But stuff like your name, where you're from…that's called…" He paused, thinking, "Episodic memory, I think."

Something in that hit a bell, "The neurological pathways for formed habits like walking, are intact then."

He looked over at her, "Yeah. How'd you know that?"

She shook her head, "I sound like a broken record, but I don't know."

"Okay, so you know something about psychology and memory; you know about black holes, but you don't remember vampires announcing their existence. You can walk and talk and interact with people; but you can't remember your name."

"That equals what?" She asked lightly, confusion had taken over again.

Sam was quiet for a long time, "First, we're going to sleep on it. Things might come back to you then. Tomorrow, we'll look at this again."

Sam turned into a gravel lot; he drove by a building with a sign that said Merlotte's. He parked a few feet away; she climbed out, leaning on the hood of the car. He came around and helped her walk toward a trailer.

"You can have the bed, I'll sleep at the bar."

She shook her head; he supported her as she hopped up the steps. "No, please. You're the only person I know. What if I wake up in the morning and even that's gone? I'd rather wake up to a friendly face."

He nodded, "Fair enough. I'll take the couch."

Sam opened the door to his trailer; they stepped in. He shut it. She looked around. It was clear the man took care of his home. She could tell he worked hard on making it welcoming.

"Sorry it's not much." He muttered.

"No, it's wonderful."

She sat down on the bed; he stepped back; she stared at him. "Sam?"

He looked at her, "Yeah?"

"Thanks for stopping."

He nodded, "Welcome. I'll see you in the morning."

The girl lay on the bed and stared at the paneled roof. Nothing came to her mind; it was still black. Eventually she heard Sam snoring and smiled; he was a good man. She rolled over; covering herself with the blanket he had given her. She lay awake; staring at the wall, nothing raced in her mind. No sense of time came to her. The soft tweeting of birds told her the sun was up. She sighed and realized it was a lost cause. She rolled back over and settled into staring at the ceiling.

**

Sam woke and looked at the bed; she was gone. He sat up quickly; looking around. He found her sitting at the table with the morning paper. He coughed so at not to startle her. She looked over.

"Morning, Sam." She smiled, "I remembered you."

He smiled at her, standing up. "Are you hungry?"

She nodded, "I can't remember the last time I ate."

He chuckled, crossing to the kitchen, "It's just eggs, bacon, and toast. Hope that's okay?"

"That sounds great."

She read the paper while he cooked breakfast for both of them.

"Do you want coffee?" He asked.

"Sure,"

"I don't suppose you know how you like it?"

"Nope, whatever you do will be fine." She turned the page, reading on.

"Anything jogging your memory?" He asked, he came to the table, setting down their plates.

She pushed the paper to the side. Sam went back to the kitchen; he returned with two cups of coffee and sat down. She smiled at him; he returned it.

"Thank you, again, Sam. You're very kind."

He shrugged, starting to eat. "I know what's like to be confused about who you are."

"Did you loose your memory too?"

"No, I was adopted though."

"Close enough," She said lightly, he chuckled. "You're a good cook."

He nodded his thanks, "Did you sleep?"

She shook her head, "I couldn't. Perhaps I don't know how?" She laughed softly at the look he gave her, "A joke, Sam."

"So you know how to tell jokes and have a sense of humor." He nodded, "That's a good sign." He finished and sat back, "We can't have you walking around in shorts and t-shirt. There might be something in the lost and found at the bar. I'll go check."

"Can I come?"

"Sure."

He took their dishes to the sink, giving them a quick wash. They left the trailer.

"How's your ankle? You're walking better this morning." Sam noticed as they headed to the bar.

She paused, looking down. "I am too, you're right. I guess it wasn't that bad."

Sam unlocked the front door and led her toward a small back room. He nodded to a wooden box. "Feel free to take whatever fits. Try to find some shoes too." He glanced at his watch, "I have to open soon."

"Do you think I could hang around?"

He shrugged, "I'll be busy most of the day, but sure. Do you think you might have worked in a bar before?"

She sighed, glancing over at him.

He held up his hands, "Right, you don't remember."

Sam returned to the front of the bar; he started his opening routine. It wasn't long before Arlene showed up with Sookie and Tara a step behind.

"Morning Sam," Arlene greeted.

The girl stood in the room; staring at the assorted clothes. There was a various collection here. She crouched down; getting a closer look. She reached for a red and black checked-flannel shirt. Taking a sniff determined it was clean enough. She shrugged it on over her shirt. The flannel shirt was big on her; but she liked it. It felt warm against her arms. The sleeves over hung her hands; she rolled them up. What she saw made her pause; she stared at her arms. Pale white scars marked up her arm. She looked to the left one; the same here. She touched them softly; they were slightly raised against her flesh. She sighed; nothing came to mind.

Returning her focus to the box; she pushed a few things around. A pair of worn out old sneakers sat near the bottom. She took them out, sitting on the floor, she tried them on. A little big, but suitable, she needed pants now. Sam had said shorts didn't suit the weather right now. Digging through the box she came up holding a pair of black cargo pants. There was a rip in the knee and mud around the cuffs. Standing up she held them to her hips. They would work.

Sookie and Tara shared a laugh as they headed to the back room. "I hope today is busy." Sookie muttered, pushing open the door.

"Shit!" Tara gasped.

The girl spun around, her pants undone around her hips. She stared through her hair at the two women.

"Who the hell are you?!" Tara snapped, "SAM!"

He came running; wildly searching the room. "What? What's happened?"

"Her!" Tara pointed at the girl, "She's a thief!"

"No," Sam looked at her, "Tara, Sookie this is…" He looked at her, she arched a brow, "Jane Doe."

She smiled at him, the name had a nice ring to it.

"Jane?" Tara asked.

"Doe?" Sookie finished, staring at her. "Seriously?"

"She needed clothes, I let her look through the box." He looked her over, "I see you found what you needed."

"Yes, thank you." Jane muttered, "I apologize for scaring your employees."

Sam left the room, heading back to the bar.

Tara crossed her arms, Sookie looked over the girl. "Okay, Jane. What's the story?"

"Sorry?" Jane frowned, "I don't follow."

"Sam never said he had a girlfriend." Tara snapped at her.

Ah, clarity. "I am not Sam's girlfriend. He was a good Samaritan and helped me last night."

"How?" Tara asked sharply.

"I needed a place to stay and clothes," Jane glanced at the blonde, Sookie. "I'll leave so you two can get ready." Jane buttoned her pants, zipping them up. She headed toward them. Tara jumped out of the way; Sookie stepped back. Lightly she touched Jane's arm. Her eyes widened slightly. Jane kept going, not pausing.

Tara looked at her friend, "What? What did you see?"

"Nothing," Sookie muttered, "It's like there is nothing in her head."

"No thoughts?"

"There are thoughts, but they are not clear."

Tara frowned, "She's not a vampire, so why can't you read her mind?"

Sookie shrugged, "I don't know."

Jane stood at the bar; watching Sam work. She studied the taps that held the beer; the racks of bottles. There was something vaguely familiar. Perhaps she had worked in a bar after all.

"Hey there," Arlene looked her over, "What's your name?"

"Ah," Jane shrugged, "Jane."

"Nice to meet you, do you work here now?" She looked to Sam. He moved along the bar, ignoring the look.

Arlene looked back at her, "I'm Arlene."

"Hi," Jane muttered, "I am just hanging around for today."

"Oh, well, we could sure use an extra body. Do you know how to wait tables?"

Jane sighed, "I don't know."

"Well, come on. I'll show you. You can at least bus the tables if we need you." Arlene waved her across the floor.

Jane glanced at Sam; he nodded it was okay. She followed Arlene. The woman talked a mile a minute, showing her a million things. She did her best to keep it all straight.

People started coming in as Arelene finished the quick-fire lesson. Sookie came out from the back.

"Just keep that all straight and you'll be fine." Arlene headed off to her first table of customers.

Jane leaned on the bar; her head spinning. Sam watched her. "Anything familiar?"

She shrugged, "I'm too confused to know." She smiled at him.

He nodded, "Give it time, you might get it all back."

"Yeah." She stared at the scars on her arms. She had no clue how they had gotten there.

"Hey Jane!" Arlene called, "Come here, take this order for me."

Jane sighed and headed over; and that was how she ended up spending the day at Merlotte's. It wasn't until several hours later, as she was carrying yet another tray of food to her tables; that all this felt familiar. She knew she had done this before; at some distant time and place.

Sam waved her over at shift change, "How you holding up?"

"Good, actually." She set her tray on the bar, "I think I've done this before."

He smiled, "That's great news!" He eyed her shirt, "What size are you?"  
Jane arched a brow at him; he laughed, "You might as well wear the bar shirt if you're going to wait tables. I have a few in the back; go take a look around. See if you can find a size that fits."

"Okay," Jane left her tray on the bar and hustled to the back. It didn't take long to find the shirts he'd mentioned. She found a t-shirt that fit and hurried back. Her other shirts rolled up under one arm.

Sam held out a hand, she gave them over. He stowed them under the bar. "You feel up for more work?"

"Yes, actually. I feel really good."

"You're ankle is okay?"

She nodded, "Yes."

"Okay, just be sure you take a break in an hour. When you're ready you can leave."

"And go where?"

He paused, thinking for a second. "Right, well…I guess you'd head back to the trailer."

"Jane, table up!" Arlene shouted at her.

"Gotta go," Jane grabbed her tray and hurried to her assigned section.

Sam wasn't on shift anymore, but he watched from the bar. Jane Doe, as he had called her, seemed comfortable here. She moved with ease and relaxation. It seemed as though she was familiar with how a bar ran.

A sudden influx of people crowded the bar, Tara was overwhelmed. He moved to help, but Jane was faster. She slid behind the bar.

"What can I get you?" She asked.

"Whisky sour, hold the cherry." A regular asked.

She moved fast, really fast. Mixing the drink with ease. She it handed over, quoted the correct price, and made change in a flash. "Next?"

Tara looked over at her, "This aint no fancy college bar, Jane."

Jane ignored her, taking the next order. She whipped up the next drink and slid across the bar. Those standing there noticed her speed.

"Hey Tara, can I get another pitcher of Dixie Draft?" Sookie asked as she stepped up. She noticed her friend's expression; looking over to Jane.

Sam was impressed to see her flip a bottle in mid air; she caught it, pouring out the exact amount. She did a few more fancy moves as she mixed the drink. She had flare training, he smiled. The crowd was enjoying the show; orders were coming. Money was being made; he was pleased.

Tara filled up the pitcher, "Where do you suppose Sam found her?"

Sookie shrugged, "Does it matter?"

"He should have told me he was hiring a new bartender." Tara muttered. She looked at Sookie, "Why didn't he say anything?"

Sookie shrugged, "No clue," She grabbed the pitcher, turned and headed back to her table.

The evening rush died down; the bar settled into its usual rhythm. Sam stepped out from where he'd been watching; Jane wiped down the bar.

"You've worked a bar before." He muttered.

"So it seems," She tossed the towel over her shoulder, "Wish I knew when."

He sat down on the stool in front of her, "Well, you're welcome to stay on if you want."

She looked up at him, surprise crossed her face. "Really? But I have no name, no SIN card. How would you pay me?"

"Cash," He said lightly, "At least until you figure out who you are." His cell phone went off; he frowned at the number, answering it. "Eric?"

Jane was called over by a customer, she took his order while Sam talked with the vampire. She came over when he hung up.

"Eric? The man from Fangtasia?" She asked.

"We were supposed to stop by tonight." Sam sighed, "I forgot about it."

"That makes two of us."

He chuckled, "Well, you've got a good reason."

"Yeah, I guess I do." Another customer called her over, Jane crossed to him.

Sam stood up and ran a hand through his hair. She came back to him.

"He's pissed that we forgot; and wants us to stop by."

"Did he say when?"

"Now," Sam rubbed his forehead, "I sure hope you don't work for him.

"You don't like him?" Jane asked, she thought back to seeing Eric last night. He had been so familiar to her. Perhaps she did work for him. But then, why wouldn't Pam recognize her?

Sookie came out onto the floor with her tray; she paused, looking to the door. Sam turned and Jane looked over as Eric and Pam walked in. There was a murmur from the customers as they noticed the vampires.

Eric strolled into the room like a king viewing his domain. Pam was a step behind, her expression was arrogant. Eric gave Sookie a long look before he focused on Sam and Jane. They came to the bar; Eric looked over it, resting his hands on the smooth surface.

"Sorry we forgot," Jane said gently, "Last night was a bit overwhelming."

Eric regarded her coolly, "Even one with your condition wouldn't forget something that soon."

Jane shrugged, "It could be progressively getting worse. Or perhaps you're just not that memorable."

Sam arched a brow; he had to keep himself from smiling. Eric stared at her for a long moment; leaning forward slightly. Jane didn't move back.

"Cocky words for a human with no memory." He said quietly.

Jane didn't blink, "You obviously have something or you wouldn't be here. You're too important, isn't that right, Eric?"

He tipped his head to the side, "You speak with authority; perhaps something has come back?"

"No, you just don't intimidate me. Gorgeous men rarely do."

He smiled at her, "You think I'm gorgeous?"

She crossed her arms then, staring at him. "You've got a pretty face, nice body and could be charming. But I don't think much of pretty faces. They don't tend to have much underneath."

Jane saw the slight change in his body language and jumped backward, his grabbed air. He blinked a moment, startled. He smiled, "Good instincts."

Sam stepped toward Eric; forcing him a step back from the bar. The taller man stared down at the shorter one. "You came here; so get to it." Sam said coolly.

Eric reached into the pocket of his leather jacket. He held out a wallet. "Pam found this in the ladies room, after you left."

Sam snatched it from him and handed it Jane. She accepted the black leather accessory. It didn't feel familiar; or even look like hers. But then, she had no idea what her wallet shouldn't looked like.

Jane opened it, her hopes blew up. There was no photo ID. But there were cards, some plastic, others paper. One of them tugged at her memory. She took out one of the paper cards. The material felt familiar; she'd handled this before. Judging from the worn corners, she'd touched it a lot. There was handwriting across the top of it. She had no idea if it was hers or not.

"I called the number on the card; talked to the man who answered." Eric told her simply. "He's coming down tonight to talk to you."

Jane studied the name typed on the card, "Dr. Iben Rahain." Below the name was a title, psychologist.

"He's my shrink?" She asked, looking at Eric.

"No, the two of you were working on a project together. He wouldn't tell me anything else."

Jane frowned, looking back to the wallet she took out one of the credit cards. "Rosealeigh V. Thane." The name didn't ring any bells or tug at any memories. How could it be that she didn't know the name? Taking out the rest of the plastic she saw the same name. They all belonged to Rosealeigh; perhaps that was her name then.

Sam was watching her, "Anything?"

Jane shook her head, "Nothing, I've got nothing." She closed the wallet, tossing it on the bar. "The name doesn't mean a thing to me." Frustration closed around her; she ran her fingers though her hair; sighing. "Thanks for bringing this to me, Eric. I'm sorry it doesn't help."

"Well, it does, a little." Sam countered gently, "Dr. Rahain is coming to see you. Maybe he'll help jog the memories."

"Yeah, or it could be a big trick." Jane muttered. She stared hard at Eric for a long time. "How do I know you didn't plant that card or those credit cards? You could have arranged for one of your flunkies to pose as this Dr. Rahain. I don't know the name; I have no idea who the man is. You could be fucking around with me."

Eric let the surprise show on his face, "Shrewd and brave, that's rare."

Sam narrowed his eyes at the vampire, "So it was a trick!?"

"No," Eric shook his head, "It's not a trick. That wallet was found, with those cards, in the ladies room after you left. Pam brought it to me tonight."

"Did Dr. Rahain report me as missing or something?" Jane asked.

"He really didn't want to talk to me." Eric told her

"Gee, I wonder why," Jane sniped, he looked at her. She shook her head, "Thanks again, Eric. Perhaps it will come back when I see him."


	2. Chapter 2

A BEAUTIFUL MIND

CHAPTER 2: IDENTITY CRSIS

Eric studied her from head to toe; pausing at her arms. He muttered to Pam; it was the same foreign language as last night. Jane frowned at the comment.

"I resent that," She snapped at him. "Don't talk about people like they aren't here."

Pam's brows lifted, Eric stared hard at her again. "You understood us?" He was using English this time.

Jane nodded, "Yeah, of course. Doesn't everyone here?"

Sam shook his head, Eric repeated the motion. When he spoke again it was the same foreign tongue. She still understood him.

"These rednecks don't know Swedish, most of the time they barely know English."

She had noticed that trend herself, "Agreed." She muttered in the same language. She stopped, startled. "How'd I do that?" This was in English.

Eric glanced at Sam, "Guess I'll be staying for a while." He sat on one of the stools in front of Jane. Pam pursed her lips in annoyance but did the same.

Jane pulled in a breath; she looked to Sam. "I had no idea, Sam, honestly."

He nodded silently, "Its fine. I am going to my office; I have paper work." He left the main bar area; in the distance a door shut softly.

Activity resumed in the bar; soon the vampires were ignored. Jane continued to take drink orders and didn't pay any attention to Pam or Eric. They didn't talk much and when they did it was quietly, to one another.

Three hours later most of the people had gone home. Sookie and Tara had left an hour ago. The place was quiet; a few people were still drinking and playing pool. But the place was essentially empty. When a stranger walked into the bar; he stopped at the door.

"Rosealeigh," Relief clear on his face, he rushed to the bar; reaching for her.

Jane looked up and recognition slapped her across the face. She stared at the tall, powerfully built man across from her. His skin was a rich, dark gold. The black of his hair was enhanced as it fell in waves around his face. He wore a black leather coat over a gold button-down shirt and blue jeans. He had incredible, almost impossibly rich blue eyes; they were the color of the Mediterranean Ocean. His face was beautifully sculpted; with full, pouting lips and sharp cheekbones. He was breathtaking.

"Thank the gods that be," He pulled her into a brief hug.

Eric muttered, "This must be Dr. Iben Rahain."

She stood in his arms; her mind spun wildly. He let her go, keeping his hands on her arms. His blue eyes searched her face; he looked perplexed after a moment.

"You really don't remember me, do you?"

She stared at his face; he did seem so familiar; but then so did Eric. She sighed, shutting her eyes as a headache started. She stepped out of his arms; crossing her own. She sucked a few deep breaths. Her mind calmed but still gave her nothing.

"I do feel as though I know you," She admitted gently, "But I have nothing else."

He stood back from her a little, "I am sorry for hugging you. I can tell it upset you. I should have remembered that."

She looked up at him, "Why? Do I not like hugs?"

His brow furrowed for a moment, "You hate being touched, especially by strangers."

Sam had appeared then, he stepped behind the bar, close to Jane/Rosealeigh. "Are you her doctor?"

Iben shook his head, "I don't treat her if that's what you mean. We work together. We've been on the same project for the last three years."

Jane asked the only question she could think of, "How old am I?"

He shook his head, "What?"

"What year was I born? How old am I?"

He thought for a minute, "The company we work for, threw you a party February 14th for your twenty-sixth birthday."

"And we've worked together for three years?" She couldn't remember the party or ever working with him.

"Yes," He stopped then, understanding sinking in. "You honestly don't remember who you are."

"Clearly not," She snapped, annoyed at his staring. "But you do?"

He nodded slowly, "You're Rosealeigh Valentine Thane, and you're famous."

She blinked at that, "I am?"

Sam spoke up, "What did she do to become famous?"

Iben looked to the man, "She…" he stopped again, running a hand through his long hair, "You…" He seemed to be having trouble, "I can't believe this." He sat down on a stool, "I mean, you…I just don't get this."

"That makes five of us." Jane muttered dryly. She looked to Eric. "Any hints here?"

He held up his hands, "I don't know anymore then you do at this point."

She frowned, "You're lying." She wasn't sure how she knew, but she did. "You know something."

He stared at her a moment, "I did recognize you in the club last night. You came in alone and you left alone."

"Did I come in the first time wearing the t-shirt and shorts?" She asked simply.

"No, you were in a dark pants suit." Eric glanced at Pam, "Right?"

Pam nodded, "Tailor made suit, Italian designer. Very high end and very expensive."

Jane put her hands on the bar; suddenly weary. She struggled to remember but couldn't. She just didn't remember anything.

Iben looked up, "You went to the club alone?"

"So it seems, but why was I even there?" She looked at Iben, "Did I have a meeting or something?"

"Not officially, no." He said, "You were in talks with someone though; they'd call your office and you'd shut the door. Two days ago you left work and that's the last I saw or heard from you. You never talk about your work with anyone."

"What project were we doing?" She asked carefully.

He looked at the faces around them, "I can't talk about-"

"Iben!" She slammed a fist into the bar. She stared at her hand, startled at her reaction. Anger coursed through her and there was something familiar to it. She forced her hand to unclench and crossed her arms. "Please, for love of god, I need to know."

He sighed, lowering his voice, "You and I were part of a team working on making the healing properties of vampire blood a workable synthetic."

She frowned, "What?"

Eric translated for her, "Humans want to use the healing powers of our blood to cure illnesses."

She sighed, "And I was part of this team?"

"You were the one who cracked the code, sort to speak. Your work with DNA-cross-strain-breeding produced the first usable synthetic."

"None of this makes any sense." She leaned on the bar. "Shouldn't I understand this shit if I was working with it?"

"Not really," Eric commented, "Whatever trauma caused you to loose your memory, could be effecting your knowledge of other things. It could be linked to the event."

"I spoke Swedish!" She snapped at him, "I know who you are. And I can talk about black holes like it's raining outside. And yet I can't remember this shit!"

Iben glanced at Eric, "You know him?"

"Yes!" Jane stood up straight, "I swear I know him." She looked to Eric, "You know me too."

Eric shook his head, "I said I recognized you. That's as far as it goes."

Jane sighed again, "Great, just perfect." She crossed her arms again, "Damn it all."

"This could be a clue, Rosealeigh." He looked at her, "Perhaps if we did a hypnotic session; you could recall more information."

Sam frowned, "Like put her in a trance, and make her remember stuff?"

"Yes, exactly. It might circumvent the trauma."

"No way," Sam shook his head, "Whatever happened to her; her mind is still not ready to give it up yet. As Eric said, it could be linked to the event. Making her remember before her mind is ready, might hurt her further."

Jane smiled at him; she touched her arm lightly. "Thank you, Sam."

He nodded, "Welcome."

"Look, I know I can speak two languages. Let's start there."

Iben didn't want to let go of the hypnosis idea. "Rose, we're wasting time. We have to get you back on track and return to Atlanta to finish our work."

She shot him a dark look, "You go back, and you do the work. I still don't know who I am."

"But I told you," He said simply, "You're re-"

"You told me nothing! She yelled at him, "You've given me nothing! I have a name, which doesn't mean anything to me. You say I am famous and that I work on some project. I can't even understand half of what you said about it. I have nothing!"

Sam put a hand on her shoulders; soothing her. She realized she was shaking with anger. She was so furious and it startled her; she had no idea where it was coming from and that hurt. She was so lost and the worst part was, she was lost in her own mind. She didn't even know herself.

Jane stepped around Sam, storming across the room to the doors. She rushed outside. Iben stood up, Sam put a hand on his arm; the man couldn't move. He looked at the smaller man; surprise and curiosity showed on his face.

"She said no." Sam told him very carefully, "I suggest you do as she says, go back to Atlanta or where ever, and leave her be."

"She's too important!" Iben told him, "Without her, there is no project. We'll be set back by at least fifty years."

"So be it then," Sam squeezed the man's arm, "Leave her alone."

Iben rubbed his arm when Sam took his hand back. He sighed, "I don't have much choice, now do I?"

"No," Sam nodded to the door, "Get out of here."

Once Iben was gone, Sam looked to Eric and Pam. "Tell me you didn't set her up."

Eric arched a blonde brow, "Excuse me?"

"Did you set up Jane or Rosealeigh, whoever, at the club? Was it a trap?"

"No," Eric shook his head, "Her work is still in the experimental stages; it will be years before anything comes of it. She's of no threat to us."

"Still, humans finding a cure for cancer or AIDS, would be a kick to your balls." Sam regarded the vampire, "People wouldn't care about vampires that much anymore."

Eric stood up, smoothing his hands over his jacket. "No one in my territory hurt that girl, Shifter. No one. A human could have done this."

"No one around here knows her," Sam countered.

"Perhaps they left already." Pam ventured, "After cleaning out the wallet, they could have left town."

It was a logical idea, Sam had to admit that much. "Well, you two can leave now." He grabbed Jane's shirts from under the bar. The vampires headed out; he followed them.

All three of them stepped outside; Sam locked up, Eric glanced at the trailer. "She is staying with you?"

"I'm the only person she knows," He said flatly, "At least until she gets enough money to find her own place."

"You're paying her under the table," Eric muttered absently, "If you ever decide to try the hypnosis idea, let us know. We can help with that."

"Why do you want to help?"

Eric stared at Sam for a very long time, "It's hard not knowing who you are. It can wear a person down." With that the two of them headed to Eric's car and drove out of the lot.

Sam shook his head, heading toward the trailer. He opened the door; Jane was sitting on the floor. His laptop in front of her; she was reading something very intently.

"Catching up on the days sports?" He asked, it took him a minute, "Wait, my computer is password protected." He came to stand over her, "How'd you crack it?"

She shrugged, "I have no idea."

He sat beside her; looking at the screen. It wasn't anything he could read. "More Swedish?"

She nodded, "I can read this stuff, perhaps I was grew up there. Perhaps I came to America later on. That would explain how I know the language and I can read it. And it would explain my immunity to the cold around here. I looked at the last three years of weather reports for Sweden, it gets pretty cold there. Much colder then here; that might explain things."

"How'd you know to go back that far?"

She blinked at him, "Sam…."

"I know, you don't know."

She sighed, "I am sorry, I really am. I am trying to remember."

He nodded to the page, "What does it say?"

She looked back to the computer; "It's just basic information; tourist stuff. I thought perhaps I might remember something easy; like a place name or perhaps a picture would help."

"And?"

She shook her head, "Nothing yet."

He was quiet a moment, "Iben said you don't like being touched; but I touched you. You didn't seem to mind."

She sighed, "I know, I've been thinking of that too." She moved her finger on the mouse pad, scrolling down the screen. "I can't figure it out either."

"Well," Sam stood up, "I am going to bed."

"Take the bed tonight, I might be at this a while."

"You should sleep," Sam reminded her.

She looked up at him, "Perhaps I am a workaholic?"

He smiled, "Yeah, maybe. See you in the morning."

Jane sat on the floor of Sam's trailer, reading for several hours. Nothing came to her. She decided to change search topics. She stared at the homepage for Google; and wondered what to search for. She finally typed in a name: Rosealeigh Valentine Thane.

The page went blank for a moment before populating; and what she saw, shocked her.

**  
Sam woke and rolled over; he blinked at the empty couch. He sat up; she was gone. She wasn't anywhere in the trailer. He pulled on his jeans and stepped outside. Jane sat on his steps, arms around her self.

"Morning," he sat down beside her; looking at her face. She'd been crying. He reached out and touched her shoulder; she tensed. He took his hand back. "Did you remember everything?"

She shook her head; absently wiping a hand across her cheeks. "I did a search on the name Iben called me." She looked at him, "She has my face; but I don't recognize her."

He sighed, "Anything else?"

She shook her head, "This girl, this Rosealeigh, she's brilliant, Sam. Really, really brilliant. At the age of twelve she won the Millennium Scholar Award, do you know what that is?"

He nodded, "I've read about it."

"Do you know how smart you have to be to even get nominated? Let alone win?" Jane started to cry again. "She's this incredibly talented, brilliant woman. And that's supposed to be me! I can't…" She wiped her face again, "I can't remember her!"

Sam put his arm across her shoulders, she tensed for a moment before relaxing. "Jane…I mean…Rosealeigh."

"No, call me Jane. That other name means nothing to me."

"Jane," He tried again, "Just because you can't remember something doesn't mean it's not true."

Jane cried softly, "You know, I was reading this stuff about her and I thought, hey why not dig deeper, you know? Why not find out more? And I found myself hacking into medical records, the DMV, the fucking FBI!"

Sam frowned, "They can trace that stuff."

She shook her head, "No, I used a ghost IP address, they'll be searching for some hacker in El Salvador."

"And you don't know how you did all this?" Sam asked.

Jane sighed, "Honestly I don't, it just sort came to me. All the code I saw, all the words, just made sense. I knew what they meant; I knew how to get around the firewalls. Sam, I just knew stuff."

"Well, let's work with that. This Thane woman, you could be her, okay?"

Jane nodded slowly.

"Was she a computer hacker?"

"She was everything." Jane whispered, "She's a Ph.D four times over; she's a respected academic writer. A scientist who's won countless awards, her work on that vampire synthetic stuff, got her nominated for a Nobel award. She's a decorated athlete, a philanthropist. There's nothing she hasn't done or mastered or been recognized for." Jane put her head in her hands, "How can all that just vanish? How can I forget all those things?"

Sam felt for her; he really did. "When you were in the DMV, reading up on Thane, did you happen to notice if she drove?"

"Yes," Jane laughed harshly, "She drove a Maserati, I don't know what kind."

Sam whistled softly, "You are expensive." He had meant it as a joke; but she didn't take it like that.

"_She_ is expensive, not me. I can't even think of driving something like that."

Sam patted her shoulder; he came to his feet. "Let's go for breakfast this morning."

She looked up at him, "What?"

"I am talking to a woman who may have driven a super luxury car; I think she should go out for breakfast."

Jane smiled, "Okay."

Sam drove them into town; parking at the local diner. Jane and he found a seat inside next to the window. The waitress looked up and smiled as she came over.

"Morning Sam," She greeted warmly, she looked to Jane. "I heard you're the new bartender. People have been talking about your awesome tricks all day."

Jane nodded, "Thanks."

"I'll get you two a couple of menus. Do you want coffee to start?"

"Sure," Sam said.

Jane stared at the cup of black coffee in front of her. Did she like cream? Did she take sugar? How much? Did she ever drink coffee?

"Sam, do you think a person like Rosealeigh would ever drink coffee?"

Sam looked up as he stirred his coffee, "Sure, she would. Probably lives off the stuff."

Jane nodded, "Then why can't I remember that?"

He sighed, "Try not to force it; maybe that's the problem. You're pushing yourself to remember things. Just relax and let it come naturally. Like you did at the bar last night."

Jane sat back in her seat; closing her eyes. She had to force her self to relax. Ironic a way, considering she had no memories to distract her. After a few minutes she reached out with her hand, opening her eyes. Sugar, she thought, I take sugar and cream.

The waitress returned with their menus. Jane looked up. "Do you have flavored creamers?"

The waitress looked down at her, "Sorry, just the normal stuff."

"Oh," Jane nodded, "Thanks."

Sam smiled as he studied his menu, "See what happens when you just let go? It all comes back."

"I think I like Irish Cream in my coffee," Jane paused, "I like Bailey's in my coffee, especially at breakfast."

Sam arched a brow, "Bailey's at breakfast?"

"Yes," Jane studied her menu, "They don't have goat cheese."

Sam stared at her, "Goat cheese?"

"Yeah, I like goat cheese."

He shook his head, "Looks like it's coming back."

"Not really, I just know what I like."

The waitress returned for their orders; Sam handed over his menu as he asked for a breakfast special.

"What kind of eggs do you use?" Jane asked, "Free range?"

"Ah, no, just what we got in the kitchen."

"And how fresh is your spinach…"Jane stopped herself. Was she really this pretentious? What the hell was wrong with her? "Never mind, I'll have the breakfast special."

The waitress wrote it down, "All we got is white bread is that okay?"

"Sure," Jane handed over her menu. She stared into her coffee cup. Sam sipped at his coffee, she looked at him. "I don't think I like this person."

"Who?"

"Me," She muttered coolly, "I mean, who asks about free range eggs or the freshness of spinach?" Jane stared out the window. The main road they had driven in on was two lanes wide. Mostly trucks drove it, the people here wore jeans and work boots. They were country folk. She liked them; she liked it here.

"Sam, what if I remember everything and I don't like it?"

"Then you can change."

She sighed, "I might just be better off not knowing."

"You think so?" He asked.

She nodded, "I like Jane, I like that I can tell a joke and that I work at a bar. Something tells me that Rosealeigh Thane wouldn't."

He continued to sip his coffee, "So you want to be Jane Doe for the rest of your life?"

"Why not?" She asked quietly, "People seem to like her; you like her." She looked at him, "You know what I mean by that right?"

He smiled as he nodded, "I know what you mean."

Their waitress came back with their order; they ate in silence. Once finished, Sam stood up and tossed down money.

"Come on."

They left the diner; once in his truck, she asked, "Where are we going?"

"Shopping," Sam smiled at her, "You can't do much with one pair of pants and a couple of shirts."

"But I don't have money, Sam."

He waved her off, "I'm taking it out of your pay anyway."

She laughed, real happiness came over her. "Thanks, Sam."

**

It was late afternoon when Sam and Jane returned to the bar. She carried her bags from Wal-Mart into the trailer; he went to the bar. He'd told her to take the night off. After everything that had happened lately, she was grateful.

Jane took her time in the trailer; had a shower, changed into new clothes. She sat on the couch, a towel around her shoulders, and brushed her hair. Sam had told her to try different things; listen to music, watch different shows on his television; in the hopes of jogging her memory at least a little. She looked at the computer on the desk; where she'd left it this morning. That had been the greatest success to finding clues about her self. Granted, she didn't really like what she'd found. But still…it was something. Crossing to it, she sat down at the desk and waited while it booted up. She set the comb aside as it asked for her password. Oddly enough, he hadn't been mad at her for cracking his password. She'd expected him to yell at or something. Which was odd? Why would her first instinct be to have someone yell at her? Had her parents yelled at her? Did she have parents? Other then Iben, did anyone, care she was missing?

"Okay Jane," She muttered to herself, "Let's see how smart you really are." She began typing.

**

Sam stood behind the bar; he was talking with Andy Bellefleur. "Are you going to the football game tomorrow night?" Sam asked.

"Yep, have to, Portia is going; you know how she is."

Sam nodded, "How are the renovations on the house coming?"

"Good," Andy finished his food, Sam cleared his plate. "The new floor was installed on the weekend, some kind of exotic hardwood. Portia picked it out. I think it's too dark."

Sam enjoyed listening to Andy's opinions about the renovation. Casting an casual eye around the bar he saw Sookie sitting with Bill; she was on break, so it was okay. He still didn't much like the vampire, but let it go. He was looking over at the pool table area when Jane walked in. She was wearing the jeans and t-shirt they'd picked up earlier. Her hair shone under the lights. She smiled and waved; he nodded.

Andy looked over, "That you're new girlfriend?"

"Nope, new bartender."

Jane stepped up to the pool table area; she had no idea if she had ever learned. But the game seemed easy. She'd just spent an hour reading about it online. She was anxious to test her knowledge. There were two men standing around one table; she walked over.

"Mind if I join?" She asked

One of the men was blonde; he was muscled and tanned. He looked her over, he liked what he saw, she could tell. "Sure, it's a betting game though."

"Not a problem," Jane took out one of the ten dollar bills Sam had given her. It was from the pay she'd earned last night. "I'm Jane, by the way."

"I'm Jason," He nodded to the man next to him, "This is Hoyt."

Jane walked over to the cue rack; looking them over. "Need help?" Jason asked.

Jane smiled, she picked one, "I got it."

"Ladies first," Hoyt offered.

"Thanks," Jane stepped up to the table. She remembered what the information said about body position and aim technique. Setting her cue to rest on her left hand; she studied the table for a moment. With a quick motion she pushed the cue stick forward. There was a wonderful smacking sound, as the cue ball connected with the others. An orange striped one sank.

"Guess that makes me stripes?" She asked.

The men nodded, watching her. "You play before?" Jason asked as she lined up her next shot.

"Nope," Jane aimed and fired; another striped ball sank into the pocket. "First time."

"Huh," Jason shook his head, "Beginner's luck."

Jane smiled at him, "Must be."

A crowd had gathered around one of the tables. Sam walked over, curious; Andy joined him.

"How many games has she won?" One of the men asked.

"I lost count," Another answered, "She never misses a single shot."

Sam made his way to the front of the crowd. Jane was bent over the table; aiming down the table. He knew enough about the game to know it was a complex shot. She fired, the cue ball bounced off the side bar, slamming into a green striped ball; the green one slammed into a purple one. They both sank into a side-rail pocket.

"Damn," Jason ran his hand through his hair.

Jane stood up, "How much is that now?"

Hoyt shook his head, "Too much for me." He tossed money down on the table, holding up his hands. "I'm going to drink, that I know I can do well."

Jason looked between the table and Jane, "How'd you do all that if you never played before?"

"The application of physics." Jane told him simply.

"The what?" Jason frowned, "Aint that a hotline advertised on television?"

Jane gave him a puzzled expression, "I don't think so."

Sam was smiling as he shook his head, "Jane, how about helping out?"

She looked over; "Sure," She set her cue back in the rack, collected the cash off the table. "Thanks for the game, Jason. Maybe we can play again?"

"Not unless you teach me how you did that." Jason set his cue on the table; following her to the bar.

Jane stepped behind it; a crowd gathered. She smiled at all of them. "Okay, folks, who's first."

"Me," One of the men said

"No, me."

Jane held up her hands as they started to argue, "How about both of you?"

Sam stood back and watched as she entertained the customers with displays of bottle-flipping, glass twirling and still managed to make their orders. Eventually the crowd filtered to different tables, ordering food. He sat down at the bar as Jane wiped it town.

"How much did you take Jason and Hoyt, for exactly?"

She shrugged, "Couple hundred, why?"

Sam chuckled to himself, "That's hardly fair."

"Sam come on," Jane tossed the towel over her shoulder; "I have never played before."

"Obviously you have. Perhaps it's muscle memory; you could be a professional pool player."

She paused, staring at him. "I think we both know I'm not."

"So now you remember?" He asked lightly.

She shook her head, "No, I just read about it on line. The game sounded interesting, I wanted to try it out. Who knew that applying physics to a game like that would work?"

"You did," Sam stated, "At least on some level. Some part of you knew you could do that."

Jane frowned at him. She stared at him for several seconds, "You're saying I should give it back."

He shrugged, "What would Jane do?"

She cursed softly, tossing the towel down on the bar. "I didn't cheat, Sam."

"No, you just outsmarted to red neck hillbillies."

Jane stepped out from behind the bar; crossing to where Jason and Hoyt sat. They both looked up from their food. Jason licked his fingers as he studied her.

"What'ch you want now?" He asked.

She held out the money, "Although, it was my first time playing, I should not have played the way I did. It was…not considerate."

Jason made a face at her, "Say what?"

"She's apologizing," Hoyt muttered, he shook his head, "No way, you played fair and square."

It wasn't exactly fair or square, Jane thought to her self, "Please?"

Hoyt shook his head, "I'll win it back from you another day."

She smiled at him. Separating the bills, she handed Jason his half. He took it, stuffing the money back into his pocket.

Hoyt glared at his friend, "Don't be sore, Jason."

"I ain't," He countered, "She's giving it back. There's a difference."

Jane nodded to Hoyt and stepped back behind the bar. Sam gave her a smile; she sighed.

"What?" He asked, "You don't seem happy."

"I didn't cheat," She reminded him again. She picked up the towel she'd put down and twisted it in her hands. "Certain things I know; I just know them."

"Like how to apply advanced science to a bar-room game?" Sam muttered.

"Come on, Sam. Give me a break." Jane felt bad enough. It would have been easier if she had just stayed inside and read a damn book.

"Yeah, well," Sam stood up, "As long as you don't build a nuclear reactor in my lot, it's all good."

"You just made me give back the money I won. That's hardly a nuclear reactor."

Sam leaned down across the bar, "And you made a friend. Hoyt's nice, real nice. Just don't piss off his girlfriend."

"Why not?"

"She's a vampire." Sam headed toward his office.


End file.
